Chapter 22 Inherited Madness

Chapter 22: A Family Tradition of Madness

As the meeting drew to a close, someone entered to summon Jin Ming and Fang Liyu.

“Director, Guardian Team A has arrived.”

“Good. Let’s adjourn. Everyone, prepare yourselves. We depart early the day after tomorrow.”

With that, Jin Ming and Fang Liyu left the conference room, leaving a buzzing crowd behind.

“Guardians?”

“Is that Zheng Mingyu’s team?”

“The Center is actually collaborating with the Guardians? Aren’t we supposed to be rivals?”

Among the throng, only Fang Ran and Fu Zhangzhou remained silent.

Fang Ran was still preoccupied with thoughts of the *heat*.

Fu Zhangzhou, on the other hand, was in a low mood after Fang Ran had refused to speak with him.

“Fu Zhangzhou.”

Lu Wenchuan, who had already departed, reappeared with Zhong Wan.

“The Director wants to see us before our daily training.”

“Fang Ran,” Zhong Wan added, “Sister Fang wants you to come too.”

Hearing his name, Fang Ran finally snapped back to attention.

“Me too?”

Lu Wenchuan stated plainly, “Zheng Mingyu of the Guardians wants to meet you.”

As soon as he spoke, the air around Fu Zhangzhou grew even colder.

Ignoring his somewhat dark gaze, Fang Ran rose and followed Lu Wenchuan and Zhong Wan out.

He wanted to see what that old fox Jin Ming was plotting now.

Unexpectedly, Lu Wenchuan did not lead them to the reception room, but rather to an open plaza in the courtyard.

A dozen or so Guardians stood there, dressed in crisp white uniforms, a perfectly aligned row of handsome men, all over 185 cm tall.

The most striking among them was naturally Zheng Mingyu, positioned at the center.

Their accompanying reporters were busily snapping photos.

It seemed the Guardians placed great importance on public relations.

“Guide Fang Ran.”

As soon as Zheng Mingyu saw them, he was the first to greet them.

Unlike Fu Zhangzhou’s dangerous, lethal aura, Zheng Mingyu exuded a refined, gentle charm.

He looked every bit the image of a righteous, heroic lead.

Fang Ran knew Fu Zhangzhou was watching him, but out of politeness, he still waved back.

“Sentinel Zheng Mingyu.”

Zheng Mingyu quickly walked towards him.

“I haven’t had the chance to thank you in person for what happened last time.”

He extended his hand to Fang Ran.

“After getting my team in order, I went to the West District Subcenter to look for you. I didn’t expect you to have come to headquarters.”

Fang Ran looked at Zheng Mingyu’s outstretched hand, wavering.

He hadn’t forgotten Fu Zhangzhou’s words: “Should I kill him?”

If he shook that hand, what would the man behind him do…

But Fu Zhangzhou didn’t give him the chance to find out. He was quicker than Fang Ran, grasping Zheng Mingyu’s hand first.

“My Guide was just lending a hand.”

His chest pressed against Fang Ran’s back, his voice muffled, as if displeased.

“Your Guide?” Zheng Mingyu scoffed, his tone seemingly disapproving.

He lowered his head slightly to look at Fang Ran.

“I hope Guide Fang Ran can get to know the Guardians better.”

The Sentinel in the white uniform smiled, his expression as warm as a spring breeze. “Perhaps then he won’t be your Guide anymore.”

“Is that so?”

Fu Zhangzhou let out a dismissive laugh, his attitude casual as if watching a joke, but the veins in his arm suddenly bulged.

“I heard it’s only *temporary*.”

Zheng Mingyu said through clenched teeth, emphasizing the word “temporary” with extra force. Though he appeared graceful on the surface, the veins on his temples stood out.

Fang Ran, caught between them, felt uncomfortable. S-class Sentinels were already overpowering, and these two were clashing with their psychic energy as if mad.

Why were they suddenly competing like this?

He could understand Fu Zhangzhou—it was the Sentinel’s possessiveness at play. But why was Zheng Mingyu losing his mind too?

Perhaps it was the ego of a high-level Sentinel?

Last time on the Nisai River, this guy seemed to have been pretty badly beaten.

Should he break them up?

But just as he thought this, the two men in front of him suddenly changed their expressions, and their clasped hands snapped apart.

Two figures abruptly shot into the air.

The sudden burst of air sent Fang Ran stumbling backward two steps.

When he looked up again, the two top-ranked Sentinels were already fighting mid-air.

Fighting again?

“Someone stop them quickly…”

He anxiously glanced at Jin Ming across from him, only to find him applauding.

“Young folks—always bursting with energy.”

“Look, they’re connecting,” he motioned to the Guardian Sentinels beside him as if it were nothing but a friendly exchange.

The dozen or so Guardians were stunned, and after a moment of awkward realization, they managed awkward smiles.

But Jin Ming’s attitude was so “friendly” and devoid of malice that, after some hesitation, a few of them began to join in.

“Yeah, just swapping techniques.”

“Our Captain Zheng Mingyu always enjoys sparring with experts.”

Their team reporters also started snapping shots of the aerial fight.

Their reactions were completely unexpected to Fang Ran.

He looked up again to check out the fight in the air.

Neither of them was holding back.

However, due to the headquarters’ unique mental-dampening technology, the Sentinels’ abilities were restricted throughout the area.

Since they couldn’t use their full abilities, the fight naturally revolved around raw strength and speed.

Though neither was a power-type Sentinel, high-level Sentinels naturally possessed physiques far beyond ordinary humans.

Every punch landed with bone-crunching impact, making it gut-wrenching to watch.

“Crunch!”

Zheng Mingyu failed to dodge in time, taking a heavy blow to his right shoulder from Fu Zhangzhou. His brow furrowed in pain—clearly, he was feeling that one too.

Fang Ran’s heart hammered anxiously.

That force…

He could almost hear the sound of bones cracking instantly.

If an ordinary person took that punch, their right arm would probably be shattered.

“Now that’s a punch.”

Fang Ran jolted, realizing the speaker was the typically stone-faced Lu Wenchuan.

He was watching with great interest, even analyzing the fight with Zhong Wan beside him.

“Fu Zhangzhou’s ability is fire-based, but his speed and strength are both perfect.”

“Look, his punch speed is right up there with Zheng Mingyu, who’s wind-aligned.”

Zhong Wan nodded with a smile, seemingly in full agreement.

Perhaps it was the unusually good weather, but Fang Ran felt a light sweat forming on his temples.

Is everyone crazy?

Just then, Fang Liyu, who had been standing quietly beside Director Jin, slipped over to Fang Ran.

“Guide Fang Ran, remember to stop Fu Zhangzhou before he pulverizes him,” she whispered to him.

“Sister Fang, what’s this really about?”

Fang Liyu lowered her voice further. “The Director says the Guardians have been acting too high and mighty lately. DT332 was clearly our District 4’s mission, yet they insisted on meddling.”

“So this is about taking them down a notch?”

After a moment’s thought, Fang Ran hesitantly added, “Is this… from the top?”

Fang Liyu shook her head, sounding a little exasperated. “It’s just the Director’s idea.”

Huh?

Fang Ran never figured the old fox to be this wild.

Seeing his confusion, Fang Liyu couldn’t help adding:

“You didn’t know, did you? Director Jin Ming is Sentinel Fu Zhangzhou’s uncle.”

Oh.

Now Fang Ran understood.

Those two.

Guess it runs in the family.